Salsa has a superpower – it can be altered to fit any taste with a simple swap of ingredients.
This exciting customizability means that you can make salsas that satisfy cravings for mild options with very little heat or for a spicy hot salsa that knocks your socks off. The deciding factor when it comes to heat or spiciness? The kind of pepper you add.
Here we will discuss the flavors and heat levels of the most popular hot peppers for salsa, the benefits of adding peppers to your salsa, and general tips for altering the heat of your salsa.
Jump Ahead:
- Common Hot Pepper Types for Salsa
- Benefits of Adding Hot Peppers to Your Salsa
- Tips for Altering the Heat of Your Homemade Salsa
- Next Steps
Common Hot Pepper Types for Salsa
Each type of pepper is rated on the Scoville Scale with its range of heat measured in Scoville heat units (SHU) – a higher rating means a hotter pepper. These are some of the most common hot pepper varieties for salsa, rated from least to most hot.
Jalapeño Peppers – 2,000-8,000 SHU
Jalapeños are one of the most widely-used pepper varieties. Though these peppers don’t offer as much heat as those discussed below, they are an ideal choice for those who prefer a milder heat but still crave mouthwatering flavor.
Jalapeños can be doubled or tripled in recipes to build onto their own heat – making them an excellent option for the customization of your salsa.
Serrano Peppers – 10,000-20,000 SHU
Serrano peppers offer a biting heat that gets up to three times hotter than jalapeños and offer similar flavors. This is a great option for adding a lower level of heat to your salsa without changing the flavor much.
These peppers don’t need to be peeled or steamed, making them a convenient addition to any salsa. To enjoy the full flavors of this pepper, add them to your salsa when they turn from bright green to deep orange, red, or brown.
Cayenne Peppers – 30,000-50,000 SHU
Cayenne peppers add scalding red heat to your salsa. Historically used for medicinal purposes, these peppers are often used in a powdered form and appreciated for their various health benefits.
This has made them a convenient and popular method to increase the heat of salsas. Though it takes some preparation, fresh cayenne peppers offer a unique burst of flavor to anything they are added to.
Thai Chili Peppers – 50,000-100,000 SHU
Thai chili peppers will provide your salsa with an intense, lingering heat offset by a burst of fruitiness. Often described as a flavor similar to berries without any sweetness, the taste is comparable to Serrano peppers with more intense heat.
These peppers have a meaty texture and turn from green to a glossy red when they are ready to be consumed.
Habanero – 100,000-350,000 SHU
Habanero peppers have an extremely fiery heat with notes of citrus. Known for their one-of-a-kind fruity and floral taste, they are a popular choice for sweet salsas.
Don’t be fooled by the talk of sweetness, however. Habaneros rank at about 40-140 times hotter than jalapeños.
Carolina Reaper – Over 1-2 million on SHU
Carolina Reapers are so spicy that they rank in the “Super Hot” category of peppers. Their intense heat is slightly offset by a sweet and fruity taste and aroma that often hits the senses before the fiery heat sets in.
When working with this pepper – and most hot peppers – be sure to wear gloves!
Benefits of Adding Hot Peppers to Your Salsa
Hot peppers offer four main benefits to your batch of homemade salsa:
Add Flavor
Not only is there a wide variety of peppers that make a mouthwatering addition to salsa, but each kind of pepper gives a certain flavor in addition to its heat.
From sweet to smoky and fruity to earthy – peppers can suit numerous flavor profiles while packing a punch with their heat.
Enhance Texture
Improve the texture of your salsa by adding peppers to the mix. Raw salsas benefit from uncooked peppers, with the additional texture creating depth to the taste.
Maximize both the heat level and the texture by including the whole seeds from the peppers in the mix.
Customizable Level of Heat
Salsa-makers often switch up the types of peppers they use to experience the most enjoyable level of heat for themselves. Peppers can range from mild to an incredible, fire-in-your-mouth flavor – leaving no taste unsatisfied!
Many choose to pair hot peppers with fresh fruit in salsas, adding sweetness to offset the spice.
Offer Health Benefits
It might be hard to believe that a food that can deliver painful heat is beneficial to the human body. However, hot peppers have documented health benefits largely due to a chemical they contain called capsaicin.
These peppers often promote a healthy digestive tract, heart, metabolism, and more. They are even known to prevent allergies and bad breath!
Tips for Altering the Heat of Your Homemade Salsa:
- Jalapeños are a common option with a lower heat, delicious flavor, and the ability to be layered to enhance their heat
- Chopped, uncooked hot peppers are most effective at making a raw salsa spicier
- If you don’t have access to hot peppers, try adding hot sauce or cayenne pepper